Target



June 21, 1938. F. R. B. WHITEHOUSE 2,121,377

' TARGET Filed July 13, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l7 \NVE N'rom Francis Wa y meld aeqmunwhnhhoumj June 21, 1938.

PIC-21.4.

F. R. B. WHITEHOUSE Fild July 13, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Frqnis Reafinald eqmqwwhi'i-ahovse INVE N TOR Patented June 21, 1938 UNITED STATES TARGET Francis Reginald Beaman Whitehouse, Edgbaston, Birmingham, England Application July 13, 1936, Serial No. 90,350 In Great Britain November 29, 1935 5 Claims.

This invention relates to toys, and has for its chief object to provide an improved form of target for use with toy guns, such target incorporating one or more toy figures which are adapted to move transversely of the line of fire. A further object of the present invention is to provide aid improved construction of toy figure which will give a highly realistic effect when used in conjunction with the improved target.

10 Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a target constructed in accordance with the present invention, a toy figure being shown in position thereon.

Figure 2 is another perspective View showing 15 the back of the target, the two parts of which have been separated one from the other.

Figure 3 illustrates, in perspective, one form of toy figure for use in conjunction with the target shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the complete target, a pair of the toy figures shown in Figure 3 being associated therewith to illustrate their manner of operation.

Figure 5 is an end view of part of the toy figure shown in Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the remainder of the toy figure.

In the construction illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 4, the target comprises a sloping platform It! 30 disposed behind a screen H which has spaced openings i2 therein, so that a toy figure passing along the platform I!) is seen from time to time through the openings l2.

The platform I is secured to and supported by 35 the screen H and a back member I 3, said screen and back member being conveniently formed from sheets of cardboard or other suitable material and disposed in vertical planes with the inclined platform it between them. The latter may take the form of a parallel-sided wooden or other strip which is secured by nails and/or adhesive to the screen In and back member l3, the latter parts being also connected by suitable cross bars M below the platform ID.

The front face of the screen I I may be marked and/or coloured with representations of trees, buildings or other objects, and the edges of the screen and the openings I2 therein are shaped to conform to the outlines of the objects represented. In the particular arrangement shown in Figure 1, it will be seen that the parts l of the screen between the openings l2 simulate the trunks of trees, whilst the parts l6 disposed in front of the ends of the platform II] are marked and/or coloured to represent bushes or undergrowth.

The parts ll of the screen it below the open-- ings i2 extend some distance above the platform ill and similarly the back member is continued above the level of the platform as at I8, the parts ll, l8 aforesaid thus forming side walls for the platform it).

For ease of portability and packing, the apparatus above described is constructed in two or more sections which are connected together end to end as illustrated, the line of division l9 preferably being vertical and bisecting one of the parts I5 of the screen ll.

One section of the platform It] may be provided with projections (such as the dowel pins 29') which are adapted to enter recesses 2| in the next section so as to retain the sections in alignment, whilst the upper parts of two adjacent sections of the screen it may carry apertured blocks 22 through which a dowel pin 23 is passed, such pin 23 preferably being connected to one of the screen sections by a length of cord 24.

At least one toy figure is associated with the apparatus aforesaid, such figure being so arranged that, when placed on the sloping platform It, it will progress down the latter under the action of gravity.

The apparatus is set approximately at right angles to the desired line of fire and the toy figure is placed at the upper end of the platform l'ilbehind the part it of the screen ll. During its course down the platform the figure is visible from time to time through the openings i2, so that it presents to the marksman a moving target which is periodically obscured by the parts l5 of the screen. The parts I! of the screen serve to partially conceal the toy figure.

The toy figure or figures employed may be of any suitable construction, but it is preferred to provide with the apparatus one or more toy figures of the improved form shown in Figures 3 to 6, which are so constructed as to move with an irregular life-like motion which makes them more difficult to hit.

In the improved construction of toy figure referred to, the flat figure 2'5 of an animal or other object (for example, the figure of a tiger or bear), out out of cardboard or other sheet material and suitably marked and/or coloured on its front face, is mounted on a carriage comprising a flat top 26 and downwardly extending spaced side members 21.

Each of these side members 21 is formed, mid-' way of the length of the carriage, with a hemispherical or rounded projection 28, the carriage being adapted to rock longitudinally upon these projections.

A sector-shaped block 29 is pivotally mounted beneath the top 26 of the carriage on a horizontal spindle 30 which passes transversely through the side members 28, the block 29 being spaced from the latter by interposed washers 31. The spindle 30 is disposed to the rear of the centres of the rounded projections 28 as shown in Figure 4. The block 29 is of such size that the lowest part of its curved periphery 32 lies at the same level as the lowest parts of the projections 28, when the carriage is held with its top 26 horizontal.

The animal or other figure 25 is attached to the carriage by securing its lower edge in a longitudinal groove 33 in a block 34 of wood or the like which in turn is retained in place on the top 26 of the carriage by an elastic member extending lengthwise of the carriage.

Preferably the elastic member takes the form of an endless rubber band 35, one part of which is engaged in a longitudinal recess in the top of the block 34. For example, it may be retained in the groove 33 by the lower edge of the figure 25 as shown in Figure 3. The remainder of the band 35 is stretched over the top 28 of the carriage and is secured in place by engagement with spaced slots 36 at the ends of the latter.

The above arrangement enables the centre of gravity of the toy figure to be adjusted longitudinally by sliding the figure 25 in relation to the band 35, there being sufficient friction between the band 35 and the block 34 to ensure that the figure 25 will be retained in any position into' which it is moved along the length of the carriage.

The block 34 is preferably formed with a fiat undersurface 37 which is held against the top 26 of the carriage by the tension of the band 35, so that the figure 25 offers some slight resistance to lateral impact by a projectile. If, however, the figure 25 is struck fairly, it will be deflected sideways and the tension of the band 35 will thereafter retain it in a recumbent position.

Preferably, the block 34 is also formed with fiat sides 38, one of which is held in contact with the carriage by the tension of the band after the figure 25 has fallen sideways.

The figure 25 is adjusted to such a position on the carriage that, when the complete assembly is placed, on the sloping platform it], it will progress slowly down the latter with a combined rocking and rolling motion.

Assuming that the assembly is initially placed in such a position that the projections 28 and the block 29 are all in contact with the platform ID, a slight push will cause the carriage to rock forwards upon the projections 23 as shown at the left-hand side of Figure 4. The centre of gravity of the assembly being disposed behind the projections 28, the carriage then rocks back until it is wholly supported by the block 29. The latter then rolls on its spindle 30, and the carriage moves forwards until the rear face 39 of the block strikes the underside of the carriage, as shown at the right-hand side of Figure 4. This tips the carriage forwards on to the projections 28, the block 29 drops to its original position, and the cycle of movements is repeated.

The rate of progression of the assembly can be regulated, within limits, by adjustment of the figure 25. longitudinally of the carriage.

Any suitable form of toy gun may be used in conjunction with the above apparatus; for example, a repeating or other pistol which projects rubber bands.

What I claim then is:--

1. Game apparatus including a sloping platform, a target adapted to travel down said platform under the action of gravity with a step-bystep motion, and a screen disposed in front of said platform and having one or more portions intermediate its ends which temporarily obscure said target during the latters passage down said platform, said target comprising a body portion in the form of a toy figure, a carriage on which said body portion is mounted, said body portion being adjustable longitudinally of said carriage, a rounded projection underneath said carriage upon which the target is adapted to rock longitudinally, and a sector-shaped member pivoted on a transverse axis behind the centre of said projection and adapted periodically to engage said platform as the target rocks, whereupon said sector-shaped member turns about its pivotal axis and allows said target to run forwards.

2. Game apparatus including a sloping platform, a target adapted to travel down said platform under the action of gravity with a step-bystep motion, and a screen disposed in front of said platform and having one or more portions intermediate its ends which temporarily obscure said target during the latters passage down said platform, said target comprising a body portion in the form of a toy figure, a block attached to said body portion, a carriage, stretched elastic means securing said block to said carriage, said elastic means engaging a recess in said block so as to allow longitudinal adjustment thereof relatively to said carriage, a rounded projection underneath said target upon which the toy figure is adapted to rock longitudinally, and a sectorshaped member pivoted on a transverse axis behind the centre of said projection and adapted periodically to engage said platform as the target rocks, whereupon said sector-shaped member turns about its pivotal axis and allows said target i to run forwards.

3. Game apparatus including a sloping platform, a target adapted to travel down said platform under the action of gravity with a step-bystep motion, and a screen disposed in front of said platform and having one or more portions intermediate its ends which temporarily obscure said target during the latters passage down said platform, said target comprising a body portion in the form of a toy figure, a block attached to said body portion, a carriage, a stretched elastic band detachably securing said block to said carriage, said band engaging a recess in said block so as to allow longitudinal adjustment thereof relatively to said carriage, a rounded projection underneath said carriage upon which the carriage is adapted to rock longitudinally, and a sectorshaped member pivoted on a transverse axis behind the centre of said projection and adapted periodically to engage said platform as the target rocks, whereupon said sector-shaped member turns about its pivotal axis and allows said target to run forwards.

4. Game apparatus including a sloping platform, a target adapted to travel down said platform under the action of gravity with a step-bystep motion, and a screen disposed in front of said platform and having one or more portions intermediate its ends which temporarily obscure said target during the latters passage down said platform, said target comprising a body portion in the form of a toy figure, a block attached to said body portion, a carriage, stretched elastic means securing said block to said carriage, said elastic means engaging a recess in said block so as to allow longitudinal adjustment thereof relatively to said carriage, flats on the base and sides of said block so that said elastic means automatically retains body portion either in an erect or a recumbent position, a rounded projection underneath said carriage upon which the target is adapted to rock longitudinally, and a sector-shaped member pivoted on a transverse axis behind the centre of said projection and adapted periodically to engage said platform as the target rocks, whereupon said sector-shaped member turns about its pivotal axis and allows said target to run forwards.

5. Game apparatus including a sloping platform, a screen having spaced apertures therein and disposed in front of said platform and a target adapted to travel down said platform under the action of gravity with a step-by-step motion, said target comprising a body portion in the form of a toy figure, a carriage on which said body portion is carried, a rounded projection underneath said carriage on which the target is adapted to rock, and a sector-shaped member pivoted on a transverse axis behind the centre of said projection and adapted periodically to engage said platform as the target rocks, whereupon said sector-shaped member turns upon its pivotal axis and allows said target to run forwards, said body portion being substantially the only part of said target which is visible through the apertures in said screen, and the greater part at least of said body portion being disposed rearwardly of said projection and sector-shaped member so as to rise and fall freely in relation to said apertures whilst the target is in motion.

F. R. B. WHITEHOUSE. 

